Chimney sweeper



sweeper is in operation.

elements.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 ERNEST r. KAHLERTUAil TD Ema 'o AnLson, on Bno'wnnvimn, ma -sen. I

em tter slvvmn Appiie' non flied itafen lsfieab. seriai same.

This invention relate'sto improvements in chimney sweepers. i

An object of the-invention is to' provide a chimney sweeper having adjustable clean:-

ing elements associated therewithand being arranged whereby the effective area of the cleaning eleme-ntsma-y be varied while-the Another object is toprovide device of the character referred to wherein means are provided for varying the-efiective" area of the cleaning elements and foroperating' said means from a point outsidethe' chimney;

A further object is to provide novel means for varying the effective areaof the cleaning Other objects and: advantages of the invention will become apparent during" the course 1 of the following description. g

In the drawing we have" shown preferred embodiments of the invention, this shown'g .1 21.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one-form of the device,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof-,1 Figure 3' is a front e'levati'onof a; modified form of the device,

' Figure 4 is a plan view of the modified form, and, it a Figure 5 is a side elevation of the latter form.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 10 indicates the body or frame of the sweeper as a whole, formed of a plurality of elliptically shaped resilient members llarranged in spaced relation with respect to eachother and further arranged with contacting portions adjacent the upper and lower ends of the body. These contacting portions: may be secured together or'the resiliency of the members 11' may be utilized-to retain the contact between these portions 1 A rotatable member 12 provided with a threaded portion 13 adjacent its lower ex tremity extends through suitable openings in the contacting portionstof the resilient members as indicated in Figure 1. Adjacent the upper contacting portions of the resilient "tacting portions. The" arrangement of the collars is such that'longitudinal niiiverr'ient on'the, member 12 of theupper ends bf tlie resilient members is prevented, while rota tion of the mem er 12 is freelyjpermitted. The openings in the lower end o ithe resilieht members are threaded to receive thethread''d portion 13 of therotatab'leuriieiiiber and a nut 15 is threaded on themiember-12 o'iitwzii'dly of the resilient members. Frdm'.th' ceastruction described it will be obvious 'rotationof the member will causethe lower extremities of the resilient members totfiiove longitudinally of the member 12 while the upper extremities remain fixer po's'iticiri, thus permitting changesin the sl afpe or the resilient members. I j

cleaning element, preferably in the form V of a wirebrush 16, is Welded or otherwise suit-ably secured on each side or each enigmember by means of a brace 1 As shown'in Fr me-'2 each brus'h16 is subsjtantial-ly of rig'ht' angle shape, the brushes of one resilient member being arrangedin a diflere'nt Horizontal plane'than' th'e'lbrus heis of the other member. The ar angementfer the brushes is such that substantially square cleaning unitis' formed.

Referring' to Figures 3, 5, modified form of the-invention is showni n which only one of theresilient members use used; rile rotatable member 12 extends threagh oppositeendsof this member in the same manner as previously described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 whereby the resilient-member may be changed inshape by rotatio'niof the member 12. V V. i i I a a In' this form of theinvention asubstantia lzly ,T-shapedplate' 18 is arranged on each side oi the resilient member and is spaced therefrom byineans of a; ufshaped spacing member .9, b th e a d. ab ling secured in place by rivets 20 or the like.

Each T-shaped member is provided with a M lbngitudirial slot 21 in the shank portion thereofi andis also provided with'longitudi nal slots 22in the opposite" arms thereof; 4 Iii this form of the invention ea cl iffcleanliiig element is formed in two sections 23 hingedly connected together by the hinge 24.

ite

The pivot pin 25 of the hinge has its inner end extended whereby the pin is slidable in the slot21, the head 25 of said pin being wider thanthe slot and being adapted to snugly engage the arms of the U-shaped member 19 whereby the pin will be guided in its movements in the slot 21 and will be retained therein. The outer end of the pin 25 is also extended and threaded to receive a wing nut 26 which may be utilized to secure the pin in selected positions in the, slot 21.;

Each section 23 of the cleaning elements has a pin 27 suitably carried thereby, one end of which slides in the adjacent slot 22during movement of the pin 25in the slot 21.

In both forms of the invention the rotatable member 12 is provided with an opening 28 adjacent its upper end and the latter is formed with an eye 29. An extension rod 30 is provided with an ofiset portion 31 extending through the eye 29 as indicated in Figure 5 and its lower extremity isprovided with an opening 32 adapted to aline with the opening 28. A bolt 33 is threaded through the openings 28 and 32 to tighten the extension'rod and the member 12 together and it vwill be obvious that a rigid connection is between their upper and lower ends and it is not uncommon to find chimneys of sixteen 'inch width at their bottom which taper to a :width of only eight inches at theirvtop.

,With the device shown in Figures .1 and 2 the rod 12 may be rotated until the square formation of the cleaning elements 16 will snugly fitthe bottom of the chimney. As many of the extension rods 30 as may be necessary-to reach above the top of the chimney are then connected to the rod 12, so that. the device may be pulled upwardly by a man standing at the top of the chimney. As the device is pulled upwardly by the operator any decrease in size of the chimney may be compensated" for by rotation of the member 12 through the extension rods, so that the square formation of the cleaning elements is reduced in'size and such change in the size of the square formation may be continued until the device reachesthe top of the chimney. If it is desired to clean downwardly the operation of thedevice would be the reverse to change the shape of the resilient member 11 is the same as that previously described and may be regulated from the top of: the chimney. This form of the invention is adapted for cleaning two walls of a square chinmey at a time, although it will be obvious that a circular chimney may alsobe cleaned if curved cleaning elements are used. In this form of the invention the means for varying the efiective area of the cleaning elements must be set manually before the device is placed for operation in a chimney. as it is difiicult to change the efi'ective area of the cleaning elements while the device is being pulled (through a chimney. V

To set the cleaning elements 23 in proper position it is necessaryto secure the pin 25 in a desired position in the slot 21 and then tighten the nut 26. The extent of ,themovement of the members23 is indicated by full lines and dotted lines in Figure, 5 and obviouslythe members may be secured in any position between. their limits :of movement.- Thus, it will be apparent that this'form of the invention, may also be used insquare chimneys of difierent width and it 318 pre-' ferred to use same in chimneys ofuniform width throughout theirlength-i It is to be understood that the, forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as. preferred examples of the same and that various changes. in the shape,'size and arrangement of parts'may be resorted to. without. departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subj oined claims.

We claim:

1. Adevice of: the prising a body adapted to be reciprocated in a chimney, a cleaning element formed of two sections associated with said body-and connected therewith whereby the element may be urged outwardly thereby, said connection comprising a ,T-shaped member rigidlysecured to said body and being longitudinally character described com- I slotted in its shank and in each arm, a hinge foldably connecting the sections of said cleaning element,the pivot pin of said hinge being extended whereby one end thereof is slidably secured in said slot in the shank of said T- shaped member, a nut threaded on the opposite end of said pin to secure said pin in selected positions in its'slot, and guide pins carried by said cleaning'elements and slidable in the slots in the arms of said T-shaped member. r L v V 2. A device of the character described com prising a substantially elliptically shaped re,- silient body adapted to be reciprocated in a chimney, means for varying the size of said body, cleaning'elements each formed of two sections associated with said body and con nected therewith whereby the elements may be urged outwardly thereby, each connection comprising a T-shaped member rigidly secured to said body and being longitudinally slotted in its shank and in each arm, a hinge foldably connecting the sections of said cleaning element, the pivot pin of said hinge being extended whereby one end thereof is slidably secured in said slot in the shank of said T- shaped member, a nut threaded on the opposite end of said pin to secure said pin in selected positions in its slot, and guide pins carried by said cleaning elements and slidable in the slots in the arms of said T-shaped member.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures ERNEST F. KAHLERT. EMIL CARLSON. 

